


Safe to Shore

by hypatia



Series: The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Hackers in Love [10]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), Leverage
Genre: Caretaking, Competent People Being Competent, Cuddling, Dress Up, Glitter, Gratuitous Movie References, HaQ, M/M, Mobility Aids, Multi, Nerdy flirtatious banter is their love language, Operating System Jokes, Pre Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer/Q, Veteran!Q, implied sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:34:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24544708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypatia/pseuds/hypatia
Summary: Will poured himself more tea. “If you tell me what materials you’re currently using, I may be able to make some suggestions to reduce the friction problem.”After several minutes’ discussion, they’d come up with a couple alternatives to test and Will was making himself a list on his tablet of equipment and materials he wanted to acquire.“Thank you,” said Parker.Will shrugged. “It’s what I do. Did? Do. After all,” he said.“It’s interesting,” said Parker, “The three of us have always had our own areas of expertise that don’t overlap much. What you do encompasses all of them.”-Hardison brings Q home to meet Eliot and Parker.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer, Alec Hardison/Q (James Bond)
Series: The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Hackers in Love [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568371
Comments: 10
Kudos: 66





	Safe to Shore

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place between [ Safe Harbor ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22396321) and [Contingency Plans:Debrief](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22488046)
> 
> I may be running out of ways to say thank you to zandraeliox for beta reading, but I'm still very grateful.

Even if Will had never seen pictures of Eliot Spencer, and he had, both from Alec (damn him anyway for that video), and in MI6’s files, he would have known which man outside the depot was waiting for them. If one weren’t a professional, Eliot Spencer might look like he was relaxed, unassuming, and not paying attention to anything in particular. If one were, say, the former quartermaster of MI6, he looked like an alert predator blending into the underbrush. Will was reminded of the 00s. It was simultaneously bittersweet and comforting.

As they approached Eliot, Alec placed a hand on his back in a gesture Will thought might be unconsciously possessive. It was unexpected and endearing. For his part, Eliot watched Will with an expression he was accustomed to seeing on the face of a new agent at their first meeting. It was an assessment of what type of risk he might pose. Will grinned when he saw it. It really was delightfully familiar.

It was also gratifying to see that, despite the crutches and obvious travel fatigue, Eliot considered him a threat. It was often useful to be underestimated, but also extremely tiresome.

“Eliot, Will. Will, Eliot,” said Alec waving a hand between them. They shook hands.

“I’m very pleased to meet you,” said Will, trying his best not to picture Eliot naked.

“Likewise,” said Eliot, who appeared to both know what Will was thinking and find it amusing.

“You didn’t say the _thing_ ,” said Alec.

“What?” asked Will.

“You didn’t say it. You totally should have said it.”

“No, Alec. Why would I _actually_ say that?”

Alec smirked. “Because it’s something you have in common?”

Eliot looked between them, eyebrows slightly raised. “One of you care to explain?” he asked.

“No,” said Will.

“Yep,” said Alec. “On the train, Will said it was odd, that he could greet you by saying,” he switched to his worst fake British accent, “how do you do, we haven’t met, but…”

“Alec,” Will said, attempting to interrupt.

“…I’ve seen you fuck and be fucked by my oldest friend.”

Will put his face in his hands, nearly dropping a crutch.

Eliot shrugged, more amused than upset _thank goodness_. “I’ve gotten weirder greetings in my life.”

Alec grinned triumphantly. “That’s what I _said_.”

“Alec.”

“Yes Will?”

“What did I tell you about that horrid accent?”

“Not sure I recall,” smirked Alec, stroking his chin and looking up in a ‘pretending to think’ gesture. “Wait! Was it the same thing I told you about trying to con medical professionals while on morphine?”

“I only tried that once,” said Will, then he returned the smirk. “And in my defense, I was _on_ _morphine_ at the time.”

“It really was pitiful.”

“So is that accent.”

Alec shrugged and opened his mouth to say something. Eliot looked Will up and down again. “What are you carrying?” he asked, in a transparent attempt to divert Alec.

Will palmed the object and pulled it out, discreetly showing it to Eliot before returning it to his pocket. “It’s just a taser.”

“Not much of a deterrent against…”

“Not intended to be. If they were going to grab me at the port, there was nothing I could do. I always carry this.”

“Harder to access when you’re using those crutches,” observed Eliot.

“Not ideal certainly. I hadn’t expected to need them and didn’t have time to adjust my PPE1.” 

Eliot grinned and nodded.

Alec looked disturbed. “That was _inches_ from my face Will,” he said.

“So?”

“Inches. From my _face_.”

“You didn’t exactly give me a chance to empty my pockets,” said Will patiently. “But there was no risk. I built this myself, it can only be activated by my fingerprint, and as you may recall, my hands were occupied.”

“Not reassuring. Will.” Alec was starting to scowl when Will caught Eliot rolling his eyes. They shared a look that said _God,_ _he’s being so dramatic. Again_.

Will laughed. “Finally!” he said, delighted. “Someone gets it.”

“It is nice,” agreed Eliot with an indulgent smile in Alec’s direction. “But the opposite holds too and then you find yourself on the receiving end of a shared look for something _perfectly reasonable_ that _you_ did.”

Will snorted. “Something to look forward to I suppose.”

“Bet you a dollar we get at least one of those from Parker and Eliot before we finish dinner,” said Alec.

Will gave him a sidelong look. “Even if I were willing to bet against you, and I _know better_ , I have no intention of betting against a sure thing.”

Alec grinned in response.

Eliot led the way to the car.

Meeting Parker was—well.

“You’re trying not to picture me naked, aren’t you?” asked Parker bluntly after they’d shaken hands.

Will couldn’t stop his eyes from twitching down her body and back up. “I’m afraid so,” he admitted. “And that is entirely your own fault for making that damned video.”

“I don’t mind,” said Parker. “We had a lot of fun making it for you.”

Will felt his cheeks flush. “Yes. I—noticed.” He attempted to scowl when he turned toward Alec. “Four bloody days,” he muttered.

Alec simply gave him a smug grin. “Let me show you to your room.”

Alec led the way, leaving the suitcase near the bed. Will paused for a moment to look around the room. In addition to the expected bed, side tables, and dresser, there was a desk and chair. Next to the dresser, Alec had placed a stool, almost identical to the one Will had in his flat to make dressing easier for himself. A cane leaned against the dresser. The glimpse he caught into the bathroom assured him it was accessible.

He walked over to the dresser and leaned his crutches against the wall. He picked up the cane, then sat down so he could examine it more closely. “This is beautiful Alec,” he said softly. It had an antiqued brass handle, in the style he preferred, and with a subtle texture to make it easier to grip. The shaft was stained a rich brown, except for a carved pattern of vines and diamond shaped leaves that retained the natural pale color of the fine-grained wood.

Will glanced up at Alec. “Did I draw this?” he asked, running his fingers along the carving.

“You did. Parker took pictures after I visited you. I thought about having it inlaid with gold, but it looked so good this way, I decided against it.”

“Thank you. This is amazing.” Will stood and walked over to the desk and back, using the cane.

“Did I get the length right?” asked Alec.

“It’s perfect.”

“That leg is clearly bothering you,” said Alec.

Will nodded.

“A lot.”

Will nodded again.

“We’re not going anywhere else today. You could…”

“You know how this goes,” interrupted Will, shaking his head. “I’m in an unfamiliar space. It may be painful, but I’m more mobile with it than without. It will be fine for another day or two, by which time I’ll either be less anxious or have an alternative.”

“And the crutches probably kept you safer while you traveled.”

“They did,” agreed Will. “We ought to have planned it this way from the start. Harder for MI6’s search algorithms to find me if my silhouette and gait are completely different.” He paused, ready to change the subject and spotting a convenient option directly in front of him. “That desk looks sturdy,” he said, walking over to it again.

“Mmhmm,” said Alec, joining him. “That was part of the selection criteria. I expect you to have projects while we’re here. There’s also a maker space nearby if you want more serious tools or equipment.”

“I’ll admit, that wasn’t my immediate concern,” said Will, sitting down in the desk chair and smiling at Alec. He adjusted the height, then rolled it back from the desk and set the cane aside.

Alec stood in front of him and grinned down. “Time to christen the desk?”

Will nodded, grinning up, and began to unzip Alec’s jeans. “It’s like you’re _psychic_.”

“How do you want to do this?”

Will pointed at the desk, indicating where Alec should sit, then rolled the chair forward so that he was sitting between Alec’s legs. “This works so much better than kneeling.”

“… So, the end of the year rolls around,” Alec said, waving his fork, engrossed in his story. “We’d set up all these monthly ‘donations’ from these jerks.”

“Wankers,” interrupted Will.

“Thank you, Will. _Wankers._ And we start getting contacted by their finance people, asking us to up their donation in the new year!” Alec waved his hands at the unbelievable turn of events.

“Really didn’t expect that,” said Will, shaking his head.

“Nobody expects…!” began Alec.

“Stop,” said Eliot. “Can you just. Stop.”

Alec and Will both attempted to suppress their mirth. They’d nearly succeeded when one of them made a choked off sound, the other snorted, and then they made the mistake of looking at one another. They both dissolved into helpless laughter. Eliot and Parker exchanged a look while Alec and Will continued snickering like 12-year-olds.

After supper, the four of them gathered in the kitchen. Alec and Parker put dishes in the dishwasher, and Eliot started making popcorn and melting butter. Will packaged up leftovers, enjoying the shared domestic moment.

“Eliot, where’s the edible glitter?” asked Parker, as she looked through cupboards.

“What?”

“The edible glitter.”

All three men stared at Parker for a beat. Will gave Alec a quizzical look, silently asking _Do you know what’s going on?_ Alec gave a tiny nod, suppressing a smile.

“Why do you want the edible glitter, Parker?” asked Eliot suspiciously.

“To put on the popcorn,” she said as if this were obvious.

“Why do you want to put glitter on the popcorn, Parker?”

“It’s a theme Eliot!”

Eliot looked baffled, then realization dawned. “Because we’re watching _Stardust_.”

“Duh,” said Parker.

Eliot shook his head, turned, and pointed to a cupboard. “It’s in there. You aren’t putting glitter on all the popcorn, just on yours, unless these two specifically ask for some. Okay?”

Parker grinned and pulled a small jar of pink iridescent glitter out of the cupboard. She turned to Will. “Would you like glitter on your popcorn?” she asked brightly.

“Does it taste like anything?” Will asked, buying himself some time.

She shook her head. “Not really.”

Will took a moment to appreciate the surreal nature of his life. “Yes,” he said, bemused. “I would very much like to have glitter on my popcorn.”

Parker beamed and gave Eliot a triumphant smile. “Alec?” she asked.

“No thanks,” said Alec.

Eliot pulled a bottle of bourbon out of a cupboard, poured himself two fingers, then a splash into a second glass and handed it to Will. “Try that and tell me what you think.”

Will took a sip and savored the warm, smooth burn. “You sir,” he said with respect and a warm smile for Eliot, “Are a gentleman and a scholar.” He held out the glass for more.

Eliot gave him a smile in return and a more generous pour. “Do my best,” he said.

Hardison embraced Will from behind and murmured, “You’ve never called _me_ that.” Will put down his drink and wrapped his arms over Alec’s.

“Because he knows better?” asked Parker with a sly grin.

“Oh, but I have,” said Will, leaning back to rest his head on Alec’s shoulder and expose his neck. “You were on your knees at the time.”

“Really?” asked Alec, as he took the bait, turned, and gently bit Will’s neck. “And where was this again?”

Will turned his head toward Alec and kissed his jaw. “On the Concorde, remember?”

“Right, joining the mile-high club in style.” said Alec.

“I miss flying with you,” Will murmured, leaning back on Alec’s shoulder again, eyes nearly closed. “Pretending to be jet-setting brats…”

“…and conning the real jet-setting brats out of their parent’s money?” Alec’s voice was light, but he’d tightened his arms around Will, knowing the memory that the mention of flying was likely to provoke.

Will pushed that thought aside firmly. “The South African diamond mines.”

“Always a favorite,” said Alec. “We did that what, three or four times?”

“Four, I think.”

“They say honesty is, for the most part, less profitable than dishonesty,” Alec quoted, loosening his grip slightly.

“And who are we to argue with Plato2?” said Will, turning in Alec’s arms to kiss him.

“Guys! Movie!” insisted Parker, shaking her bowl of generously buttered, faintly sparkling popcorn. They adjourned to the couch and Alec started the movie.

Just as Alec had expected, Will had enjoyed the movie thoroughly. By the end, he’d found himself relaxed, tipsy, and pleasantly immobilized. Alec was on his right with an arm stretched across the back of the couch behind Will. Parker had sprawled between Eliot and Will with her head in Will’s lap. Eliot was leaning sideways, resting his head against the back of the couch in a spot that allowed Alec to play with his hair. Will was reminded of post-rave puppy piles he and Alec had occasionally found themselves in. It was remarkably soothing.

At some point, Alec had intertwined the fingers of his and Will’s right hands and run both their fingers through Parker’s hair. She’d turned to see who was petting her, smiled approvingly, and gone back to watching the movie.

When the credits rolled, Parker tipped her head back to look up at Will. “Want to watch another one?”

“Not this evening. I’m not sure what time zone I’m on, but it isn’t this one yet. I should call it a night soon.”

Parker exchanged glances with Eliot and Alec, then looked back at Will. “How much company would you like tonight?” she asked.

Will froze for a long moment, uncertain how he wanted to respond, until Alec nuzzled his shoulder. “Reply hazy, ask again later?” suggested Alec.

Will nodded, “Ta, magic eight ball.”

Parker nodded and held out a hand to Eliot who pulled her up and out of Will’s lap. The two of them picked up popcorn bowls and glasses, leaving Alec and Will alone on the couch.

Alec pulled Will closer and said, “You know you aren’t sleeping alone tonight, right?”

“I’d been hoping…” Will started to say when Alec bit him on the shoulder near the base of his neck. The words shorted out in favor of a startled sound halfway between a moan and a yelp. He tensed for a moment when Alec’s teeth sank in, and then went completely pliant.

Apparently, he reflected, he couldn’t be arsed to care that he was making noises like that in front of— his lover’s lovers? Who’d _literally_ just propositioned him, so it was probably OK.

“What were you saying?” asked Alec innocently, kissing his neck.

“Mm,” Will turned to kiss him.

Alec drew back smiling, “Your lips are covered in glitter.”

“I promise I’ll share,” said Will, landing the kiss.

“It’s glitter. It isn’t as if we have a choice. Bedtime?”

“God, yes.”

He got up, a bit unsteadily, and leaning on Alec in lieu of a cane, headed to the bedroom.

He stood next to the bed, just starting to remove his shirt. Alec caught his hand, “Let me help?” he asked. Will nodded and settled his hands on Alec’s hips, letting his eyes close as Alec began to unbutton. He worked slowly, trailing caresses and kisses down Will’s neck and the skin being exposed. “I’m going to leave a mark right there,” Alec said, pressing a finger lightly against a spot just below the pulse point. “So that you have to wear the turtleneck I bought for you tomorrow.”

Will opened his eyes, tightening his fingers on Alec’s hips. “So, we’re playing dress-up tomorrow?” he asked.

Alec raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to one side, “Will. We’ve been playing dress-up since Sophie picked you up in London.”

Will sat down abruptly as reality shifted ninety degrees on him and then snapped back into place. “Fucking hell,” he said softly, staring up at Alec. “Bloody illusion of free will.”

“You okay man?” asked Alec, sitting down next to him.

Will nodded, continuing to stare, then stopped nodding and shook his head. “I didn’t even notice. You’ve made every decision for me for the last—nine—days. Where I went, what I’ve read and watched. My life is a suitcase you packed. The only clothes I _possess_ that you didn’t choose for me are what I was wearing when I left headquarters.”

“That was always the part of the game you enjoyed the most,” Alec said, smiling, but watching Will carefully.

“Yes. And I missed it completely. And today, all the this-is-what-we’re-doing-for-the-next-couple-hours updates.” He paused and snorted a laugh. “Bugger. Staircase wit.”

Alec looked at him, “Holy illusion of free will Batman?” he asked, grinning.

“Yes. Are we sure you _aren’t_ psychic?” Will tried to laugh but it had a manic edge. “Why didn’t I tell MI6 to go fuck themselves and run off with you when I had the chance?”

“You got the saving-the-world bug. It’s hard to shake,” said Alec. “I eventually caught it too. That and you really wanted to pwn a national intelligence service.”

“And then they let some other arsehole beat me to it. Idiots,” Will griped.

Alec reached over and undid the last button of Will’s shirt. “I told you you’d be in charge in five or ten years.”

“Six and a half, for my sins,” said Will with a snort. “Is that why you weren’t impressed?”

Alec grinned, “I expected no less.”

“Which makes it all the more unexpected that I _missed_ we’ve been _playing the game_ ,” said Will.

“You’ve had a lot on your mind. And you were severely sleep deprived for a lot of that.” Alec smiled, “At lunch today? It didn’t even occur to you to look at a menu.”

“It didn’t, did it?” Will shook his head again and leaned against Alec. “I just knew you were taking care of it—of me. Did you tell Eliot what to cook for dinner too?”

“Nope. Gave him some suggestions about what you like. That usually works best. But I did text him to let him know you’d mentioned the ship’s food was bland and that anything fresh would likely be a hit.”

“And Parker’s—offer?”

“It was her idea. I told her to check in before asking. I gave her the go ahead since you’d flirted a little with both of them. But I probably should’ve held off since you kind of blue-screened there.”

Will pulled away. “Slander!” he said.

“What?” asked Alec, all fake innocence.

“I thought you loved me. Implying I’m running a Windows operating system? I can’t believe you’d say something so hurtful,” Will was trying to look wounded, but failed utterly and snickered instead.

“Blue-screen is inherently funnier than kernel panic,” said Alec. “It’s just the rules.”

“It isn’t.”

“It is.”

“Kernel panic in the server room? The jokes write themselves.”

“Man, what are you _on_?” Alec chuckled.

Will continued snickering and leaned his head on Alec’s shoulder. “The biggest oxytocin rush I’ve had in _years_?”

Alec grinned and kissed Will’s head.

“Kernel panic would’ve been hilarious in this context,” insisted Will, gesturing emphatically with the arm he didn’t have wrapped around Alec. “There was popcorn! You just don’t have a sense of humor.”

“Blue-screen has broader comedic appeal,” countered Alec.

“In-jokes can be funnier _because_ only a select group understand them,” said Will, lifting his head to look at Alec again. “And we’re talking about _us_ and our nine-year in-joke backlog.”

“You’re failing to account for one factor,” said Alec.

“Oh?”

“That I think your outrage is hilarious and that was the whole point of my choice of phrase,” said Alec. Then his face changed to something approaching apologetic. “But seriously, you clearly weren’t prepared for the question, and I should’ve caught that.”

Will looked at Alec suspiciously, “Which you cleverly distracted me from by _biting_ me?”

Alec shrugged, “It worked didn’t it?” he asked.

“It did,” said Will smiling again in spite of himself. “Which is probably a sign of _something_.”

“Not to get overly psychoanalytical on you, but you’ve been making life-and-death decisions without a break for years. If you needed a rest from that, I’m happy to have provided it.”

Will sighed. “Need- _ed_ ,” he said reluctantly, emphasizing the suffix, “Might be optimistic.”

Alec nodded and pulled Will closer. “I’ve got you,” he said, “As long as you need.”

Will relaxed into Alec’s embrace. “I despise admitting that,” he said.

“The thing about putting down a burden that people seem to forget,” said Alec, “is that you need to recover before you pick up another one. Particularly if it was too heavy, or if you had to carry it for too long. Not quite three years ago, MI6 put the world on your shoulders. And when you learned that they’d betrayed you, you couldn’t put it down.”

Will sighed. “I can accept that analogy.”

Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out a dark silver chain.

Will normally wore no jewelry, but he remembered exactly what it felt like to wear this necklace. Initially cool and slightly heavy, in moments it would warm to body temperature. Not long after, he’d be accustomed once more to the weight, and it would disappear from his attention. It would reappear from time to time when he moved or touched his throat or looked in a mirror. A tangible reminder that someone cared for him.

Will looked up, met Alec’s eyes and nodded. He raised his chin so Alec could place the chain around his neck, then bowed his head so Alec could clasp it. He raised his head once more for the kiss he knew would follow. And wondered, not for the first time, how a game two teenagers had invented one morning in a fit of boredom had come to mean so much more to both of them.

They sat on the bed, Alec holding Will, Will leaning into Alec’s embrace, for a long moment.

Will sighed and pulled away.

“Hmm?” asked Alec.

Will touched the necklace. “You know I can’t wear this tomorrow afternoon.”

“We’ll take it off before lunch,” Alec reassured him. “I’ve got you. I promise. You can let go.”

Will nodded and leaned against him again.

Eventually, Alec spoke. “Let me tell you about your morning.”

“Hmm?”

“Given the time zone thing, you’ll probably wake up before I do. Don’t worry about waking anyone. There are pajamas in the top-right dresser drawer and the dark blue robe on the hook over the door is for you. Get up when you like, get yourself tea, read or watch the sunrise. There’s cereal in the cupboard above the dishwasher and milk, juice, probably some fruit in the fridge if you want breakfast before I’m up.”

“Got it,” said Will, putting a hand on Alec’s chest. “If we’re still playing…”

Alec smiled and pushed Will’s shirt off his shoulders. “We are. And I’ve decided we need to be naked.”

“Brilliant,” said Will, smiling in return. “Let’s do that.”

“Superlative,” Will mumbled softly, half asleep, then snickered.

“Hmm?” asked Alec.

“’S’ words,” said Will earnestly. “They’re _everywhere_.”

“Really?” asked Alec, drawing random patterns on Will’s skin with his fingertips, “Which ones?”

“Sleepy, sweaty skin, slightly sticky, satisfied, and snuggly,” Will recited haltingly, emphasizing the ‘s’ in each word and cuddling closer to Alec. “So sexy. Softly snickered. Even in Afrikaans, I _smaak_ you _stukkend_.”

“I love you to pieces too.” Alec smiled at him. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed your sleepy post-sex nonsense,” he said with a soft laugh. “Be right back. We can do something about slightly sticky.”

Will distantly noted the sound of water running in the bathroom. When Alec returned, he was too relaxed to respond when he felt a cloth skimming over his belly and thighs. He simply made approving noises and drowsed, warm and comfortable. When Alec returned to bed, they curled around each other.

“Will?”

“Hmm?”

“Remember what I told you about tomorrow morning?”

Will nodded, eyes closed. “Get up whenever, pajamas and robe over there,” he mumbled and waved a hand vaguely toward the dresser. “Tea in kitchen. Milk and cereal in the dishwasher.”

Alec chuckled, “Close enough,” he said, and closed his eyes.

It was still dark when Will awoke, and for several minutes he simply lay still, appreciating the quiet and Alec warm and solid beside him.

He touched the necklace he wore, running a fingertip over the rectangular bar. They’d played the game one final time shortly before he joined MI6. He’d worn it one day, and Alec the next, and they’d indulged each other shamelessly. At the time, it had seemed possible that they would never have the opportunity again.

Equally memorable, he’d worn this necklace for the six weeks he was in hospital after Kandahar. Alec had been there when he arrived back in England. He’d offered the necklace and asked for a promise: That Will allow the doctors and therapists and medical staff to do their jobs and help him. And in return, Alec would visit every day and attempt to provide some stability and sanity where everything else might feel like it had fallen to pieces. Will had said ‘Yes’, ‘Of course’, and ‘Please’.

He carefully extracted himself from Alec’s embrace, stretched and got up. He talked himself into leaving his prosthesis off and simply opted to use a crutch to retrieve the promised pajamas. He pinned the pantleg out of the way using safety pins Alec had left on the dresser. Then, pulling on the robe, he went in search of tea.

In the kitchen, he found the under-cabinet lights shining on an electric kettle, already filled with water, a mug, a small pot, and two tins of tea. One contained an oolong that smelled like perfume and the other a faintly smoky black tea. As he spooned some of the black tea into the teapot’s basket, he noticed the kettle was already set to the proper temperature.

He was deciding how best to carry mug and teapot while using the crutch when he heard a rustle behind him. He turned to see Parker approaching. She was wearing leggings and an oversized t-shirt that probably belonged, or at least _had_ belonged, to Alec since it featured a picture of a dalek and the words ‘OMG! R2-D2! I loved him on Star Trek!’.

“Morning,” he said. “Did I wake you?”

She shook her head, “No, I was up.”

He looked back at the counter. “Do you drink tea? I’ll share if you help me carry it to the couch.”

“I’d carry it for you even if you didn’t offer to share,” Parker pointed out, entering the kitchen and opening the fridge. She got herself a glass of juice, then pulled a small tray out of a cupboard. “You’re out of practice asking for help, aren’t you?” she asked, while putting her juice and his tea things on the tray.

He gestured with his crutch, “It’s been years since I’ve had to use these much.”

She gave him a shrewd look and walked toward the couch. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I suppose,” he said following her. “It’s also been years since I had anyone to ask except Alec and he…” _wasn’t around_ , he’d begun to say, but Parker had set the teapot and mug on a side table where he saw his tablet plugged in to charge, “…has a way of anticipating needs,” he finished instead. He looked from the Parker to the tablet and back, smiling helplessly. “I love him so much.”

Parker gave him a sunny smile and nodded. “Me too.”

“I’m afraid I might not be particularly social until I’ve had a bit of tea,” he said. This wasn’t precisely true, but it gave them an excuse not to talk if neither was inclined. He settled himself on the couch and covered his legs with a blanket.

“That’s fine.” Parker pulled a basket out from under the coffee table. It held a mass of straps and rope that Will recognized, after a moment, as climbing gear. He sipped his tea and watched her work. She drew out the rope first, inspecting its entire length, then coiling it and tying it into a neat bundle. Then she pulled out the climbing harness itself and inspected it methodically. It was entirely matte black, including all of the buckles and hardware.

“That looks custom. Did you build it yourself?” he asked.

“I did some of the work, but I couldn’t do the stitching. I hired someone who had the right machine to do that.” She grinned. “He thinks I’m an unusually goth rock climber.”

“I’m guessing you picked the hardware coating to muffle noise, not just reduce visibility. But it looks quite rough. Does that hamper your movement?”

Parker looked surprised and pleased by the question. “Some. It’s most noticeable when I’m putting it on and taking it off. But the smoother coatings I’ve tried all seem to flake off, so it’s a compromise.”

Will nodded. “I’ve made similar rigs; I’m familiar with the issue.”

“You have?”

“Q-branch had the right machine to do that,” he grinned. “Honestly, Q-branch had, or acquired, any tool I wanted.”

“Alec mentioned computers and explosives, I didn’t expect you to sew.”

“Why not? Concealing equipment in clothing is something agents need to do all the time. Garment creation or modification is as specialized an engineering discipline as rocket design. And less easily automated3.” Will poured himself more tea. “If you tell me what materials you’re currently using, I may be able to make some suggestions to reduce the friction problem.”

After several minutes’ discussion, they’d come up with a couple alternatives to test and Will was making himself a list on his tablet of equipment and materials he wanted to acquire.

“Thank you,” said Parker.

Will shrugged. “It’s what I do. Did? Do. After all,” he said.

“It’s interesting,” said Parker, “The three of us have always had our own areas of expertise that don’t overlap much. What you do encompasses all of them.”

He cocked his head, “You think Eliot will let me touch his gear, let alone modify it? He seems the type to be protective about that.”

“Um. Yeah,” she said. “Didn’t Alec tell you how Eliot reacted when he learned who his MI6 contact was?”

“Just that he thought Alec was insufficiently impressed by my promotion.”

She grinned. “It’s the closest I’ve ever seen Eliot come to full-on fanboy. He got all rant-y. For days. We eventually had to tell him to shut up about it.”

“I suppose that’s flattering,” Will said, smiling back. “And probably why Alec didn’t mention it. He thinks my ego is quite large enough as it is. Which is fine, I think the same of him.” He drained his teacup. “In the interest of learning to ask for help. I want more tea and perhaps something to eat, but for a variety of reasons I really don’t want to get up right now. Would you be willing to get me something?”

“Sure,” said Parker, getting up. “Another pot of the black tea?”

“Yes, thank you. You can use the same leaves, just add more hot water. There should be some left in the kettle.”

She nodded. “For easy food, we have Cheerios and Golden Grahams, with or without sliced banana. You’d be slicing those yourself. There’s also blueberry yogurt and granola.”

“Yogurt and granola please. I would also take a banana if they’re on offer.”

“Done. Back in a couple.” She grabbed the tray she’d used earlier, and the teapot.

Will turned to watch her. “Thank you,” he said over his shoulder. He made some additional notes on his tablet about modifications to Parker’s climbing gear while he waited.

Parker returned with the tray loaded with cereal for herself and tea and yogurt for Will. “It’s only been steeping for about a minute.”

“Thanks again.”

“Welcome.”

They ate in silence for several minutes.

“Can I ask about that necklace?” asked Parker.

Will sipped his tea. “You can ask. I _cannot_ promise to answer.”

“That seems fair. Alec has had that as long as I’ve known him. Is it yours?”

Will considered how to answer. “It’s a joint possession.”

“Is there a reason he hasn’t worn it?”

“Yes.”

“Are you the only one who wears it?”

“No.”

“But it means something to both of you?”

“Yes.” He smiled faintly, wondering how long she’d be patient with ‘Twenty questions’.

“Will you tell me?”

“Not without discussing it with him first.”

“OK,” she said, and went back to eating her cereal.

He hadn’t expected her to drop the subject so abruptly and took a moment to regain his conversational bearings. “May I ask a question in return?”

“Yep. Same conditions apply though. May not answer.”

“That’s fair. When Alec told you and Eliot about me, he said you asked about my favorite character?”

“From _Battlestar Galactica_ , yes.”

“Oh, you _do_ know the name of the show.”

She grinned again and rolled her eyes. “Duh.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Is there anything more fun,” she asked mischievously, “than messing with Alec Hardison?”

He grinned and bit his tongue. “Well. I can think of one thing…”

“True,” she grinned back, wrinkling her nose.

“How did that question tell you about us?”

“Because Hardison pays attention to what the people he cares about care about. If you were just a friend, he’d have probably known you liked BSG over Star Trek. The fact that he knew your favorite character meant you were close. That he knew without even thinking about it meant you were important to him.”

“Ah,” he said, with a rush of fondness for Alec and gratitude that Alec had found people who understood him that well, “that makes sense.”

She gave him another mischievous smile. “I usually do. Not everyone follows though.”

He smirked back, “I expect most everyone _thinks_ they usually make sense, even when they don’t.”

“Probably. But I’m right.” Parker looked thoughtful for a moment. “BSG started airing before you joined MI6 didn’t it?”

Will nodded, “The second season started while I was in the hospital for this.” He waved a hand at his leg. “We watched it together.”

“And so, he knew your favorite character.” She put her cereal bowl on the tray. “I can take your dishes. Eliot will be up soon, so I should shower. Alec usually wakes up in a half hour or so.”

Will handed over his dishes. “Good to know. Thanks.”

He returned to the bedroom and found Alec still sleeping more or less as he’d left him earlier. He dropped the robe and, wearing just the pajama bottoms, climbed back into bed trying not to wake Alec.

Once under the covers, he shifted closer. He’d once known the trick of wrapping himself around his lover without waking him, but enough time had passed that he felt out of practice. He knew how much he had changed. He wondered if life with Eliot and Parker had changed things for Alec too.

He shifted a bit closer and Alec adjusted position and wrapped an arm around him. He mumbled something Will didn’t catch and smiled in his sleep. Will relaxed into the warmth and closed his eyes.

And apparently slept, because he woke to Alec gently running fingers through his hair. “I thought you’d be up before me,” said Alec when he saw that Will was awake.

“I was,” he said, yawning and leaning into Alec’s touch. “I had tea and breakfast with Parker. I have some ideas for improving her climbing gear. Then I came back to bed. I wasn’t expecting to sleep again, but you were warm.”

“So are you,” said Alec, pulling Will closer and running a hand down his back. “I see you found the pajamas.” He moved his hand lower. “I’m going to take you out of them now.”

“As you wish.”

Alec laughed. “If you’re a dread pirate, does that make me a princess bride?”

“Mm. My little Buttercup,” grinned Will, tapping Alec gently on the nose.

“Did you just boop my nose?”

“Yes,” said Will solemnly. “I did. If you’re _The Princess Bride_ does that make Parker the _Prince of Thieves_?”

“It’s really more like _Robin Hood Men in Tights_ around here,” admitted Alec.

“Well, I _can_ speak with an English accent…”

They both laughed as Alec pulled off Will’s pajamas and rolled him onto his back.

“That mark on your neck turned out just like I hoped it would,” he said, touching Will’s neck with gentle pressure.

“I’d forgotten it was there. Parker didn’t mention it,” he trailed off as Alec kissed his neck right over the spot he’d marked, then recovered. “She asked about the necklace.”

“Hmm,” said Alec, skimming his hand down Will’s body from neck to hip and back again. “What did you tell her?”

“Not much, but I won’t remember exactly unless you stop doing that, and I do _not_ want you to stop doing that.”

“That’s good. I’m not going to.”

“ _Yes,_ ” said Will and pulled Alec down into a kiss.

“You keep mentioning this turtleneck you got me.”

“Right,” said Alec. He pulled open a dresser drawer and tossed it to Will.

Will caught it and held it up. It was black with blue and silver stripes at the cuffs. “Movie-verse Ravenclaw colors? Really?” he asked.

“If you aren’t Ravenclaw, what is the point of its existence?”

“Are you comparing me to Hermione?” asked Will dryly.

“Nah. Anyway, movie used blue and _grey_. Silver is Slytherin. Let’s face it, you worked with spies and you had _minions_.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “And now you’re comparing me to Voldemort?”

“Not intentionally,” grinned Alec.

“I’ve never thought house colors were a necessity in my wardrobe.”

“You don’t like it?” Alec asked, beginning to pout.

Will grinned. “I love it actually. It’s subtle and geeky. Do you have a matching one?”

Alec shook his head. “Haven’t decided how best to combine Hufflepuff and Gryffindor,” he admitted.

“I can see the dilemma. Get one of each and decide on a day-to-day basis,” said Will, pulling the turtleneck on. “Do I get trousers?”

Alec went to the closet and took out two pair. “Are you willing to try a couple? I want to see which make your ass look better.”

“Arse,” said Will.

“Are you correcting me or cursing me?”

Will touched his neck where the necklace lay. “You decide,” he said, smiling slyly at Alec.

“I thought I was,” said Alec, tracing a finger along the top of Will’s collar, making him shiver. “And do you know what we’re going to do now?” he asked lowering his voice and murmuring in Will’s ear.

Will let his voice go soft and seductive. “I’m going to finish getting dressed and you’re going to have _breakfast_.”

Alec laughed and kissed him. “You’re so clever. And then,” he said, his voice warm and sultry, “I’m going to take you to an electronics store,” Will closed his eyes and moaned theatrically, “and we’re going to get you the parts you need to build yourself a computer or two. And maybe a _3D printer_.”

Will wrapped his arms around Alec and smiled up at him. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

After a successful shopping excursion, Alec and Will retreated to the bedroom. They would shortly head to the pub for lunch with Eliot and Parker which would be followed by Will’s meeting with Bond.

They sat next to each other on the bed. “Ready?” asked Alec.

Will nodded, bending his head and moving his collar so that Alec could unclasp the necklace. He looked up as Alec drew his hands back with a gentle brush of fingertips against Will’s neck.

“What’s on your mind?” Alec asked.

“When I told Bond about the order I’d received, I disrupted his life in order to save it, and felt utterly justified in doing so. This next part? There’s self-protection wrapped up in this, and let’s be honest, some desire for payback for what MI6 did in there too. It makes this feel less clear cut. I don’t have to tell him anything but that I’m alive. The rest? I think he _deserves_ to know the bigger picture. I think all my agents deserve that. But this is all so wrapped up in my own…” he paused and then forced the word out, “…trauma, that I wonder if this is merely a justification of a selfish impulse.”

Alec was silent and thoughtful for a moment. “I can understand the concern. Maybe you need a different perspective.”

“Yes?”

“If you had the option, would you go back to not knowing what really happened with Dalton’s mission? Pretend it didn’t affect you personally for the moment.”

“No,” said Will. “It’s difficult to separate the personal from this. You know that. But no, I wouldn’t go back.”

“Why not?”

“A colleague that I respected died for no good reason. There had to be something I could do about that.”

“How many of the current agents knew him?”

“All but two. Six of the eight 00s if we’re counting Bond.”

“And they all probably knew him better than you did?”

“Almost certainly. We only worked together for a month or so.”

“And respected him?”

“As far as I know.” Will nodded. “You’re right. This is the decision that every one of them would make if they knew they had a choice.” He touched the necklace that Alec was still holding. “And I’m the only one who can make that decision for them.”

“Ready?” Alec asked again.

Will nodded. “Ready.”

Alec grinned. “Nate would probably have said ‘Let’s go steal a British Intelligence agent.’”

“I already stole him,” said Will. “I have to convince him not to give himself back.”

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Personal Protective Equipment, and also a joke Will expects Eliot to get: PPE generally means things like face masks, gloves etc., not weapons. (Well, it doesn’t mean weapons to _most_ people.) 1
> 
> 2\. [Plato’s _Republic_](http://www.literaturepage.com/read.php?titleid=therepublic&abspage=64&bookmark=1) Yes, they’re deliberately taking the quote out of context. Plato was not endorsing dishonesty. 2
> 
> 3\. All of Bond’s suits, for example, went straight from his tailor* to Q-branch for modification. 3
> 
> * It had occurred to Will, on more than one occasion, that he could likely have made at least as much money running a bespoke tailor shop as he did as quartermaster. But tailors don’t get to play with explosives as often. 
> 
> -  
> Note: If you have been finding updates to this series via the Leverage tag, please note that the previous work and the next one are/will be Bond-verse only.
> 
> Parker's t-shirt is a real thing. I found multiple sources but I don't know who originated the design, so I won't link.


End file.
